[Responsible-digital-futures] Open Research for All: Announcing the Launch of the Munich Manifesto

[Suchith Anand]

Dear colleagues,


On behalf of the Ethical Data Initiative team, I am pleased to share the
news of the public launch of the *Munich Manifesto for Equitable Open
Research*. The Ethical Data Initiative is proud to be a founding signatory.


The Munich Manifesto for Equitable Open Research originated within the
Philosophy of Open Science for Diverse Research Environments (PHIL_OS)
project, led by Professor Sabina Leonelli at the Technical University of
Munich (TUM) as part of a European Research Council (ERC) project. It was
conceived to address critical structural risks in the open science movement
– specifically, how top-down policies and standardised digital tools
disproportionately favour well-resourced institutions, while commercial
platform practices risk deepening global inequities. Following a year of
international consultations, the framework was formally introduced and
collaboratively refined at the FOR2026 Conference
<https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/2026/05/22/shaping-a-fairer-future-for-global-knowledge-insights-from-the-for2026-conference/>
(“The Future of Open Research: Reliable, Responsible, Equitable”) in Munich
in May 2026, uniting global scholars, policymakers, and activists behind a
shared vision for ethical and inclusive research.

While open publishing and shared datasets have accelerated discovery, they
have also created new hurdles. Top-down policies and standardised digital
tools are usually built around well-funded institutions. As a result,
wealthy research centres end up setting the standards, while researchers in
less-resourced settings, non-academic experts, and local knowledge holders
can be left behind. Furthermore, unchecked commercial practices, such as
high open-access publishing fees and uncredited AI scraping of public data,
threaten to widen global disparities rather than close them.


Building an equitable open science ecosystem takes collective action. The
Munich Manifesto isn’t just a statement of values – it is a practical
framework for institutions, funders, and researchers. We encourage
communities to support the document, at both the individual and
institutional level, and adapt it to their own regional and disciplinary
needs.

Visit the Munich Manifesto Signatory Page to read the full text, add your
support, and help build a fairer research ecosystem.


More details at
https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/2026/09/15/open-research-for-all-launch-of-the-munich-manifesto/


If you want to learn more about the Munich Manifesto for Equitable Open
Research and the work of the EDI, please join our upcoming Ethical Data
Initiative <https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/> Stakeholder Forum on *Framing
the Future of the Global Research Commons*, which will be held as a side
event to the Research Data Alliance 27th plenary in London
<https://www.rd-alliance.org/plenaries/p27/>


*Date:* Monday, 5th October 2026

*Time:* 14h00-17h00 UK time

*Venue:* The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London


This pre-plenary Forum will unite leading global voices in research
governance, international funding, and data policy to bridge the gap
between technical infrastructure and ethical stewardship. The afternoon
features two complementary panel discussions: the first examines the
governance of data sharing to ensure research commons remain inclusive and
equitable, while the second explores the practical challenges of
reconciling complex management principles such as FAIR, CARE, and TRUST.
Together, these sessions provide a strategic roadmap for moving beyond
theory to build robust, socially responsible data infrastructures.


This is a hybrid event, you can join online, so please feel free to share
this event invite with your networks and colleagues. The event is free and
open to all. In-person places are limited and allocated on a first come
first serve basis.


More details and  agenda at
https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/2026/08/11/bringing-ethics-to-the-global-research-commons-the-edi-stakeholder-forum-at-the-rda-p27/


Best wishes


Suchith


Professor Suchith Anand

Professor of Practice in Science Policy | Senior Adviser to Governments and
International Organisations | Scientist | Global Citizen | Science
Diplomacy |  SDG Volunteer and Advocate

https://spspa.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?username=sa1131

https://ethicaldatainitiative.org
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